Roomies
by The Dreamer and the Realist
Summary: AU. When his girlfriend told him she had new roommates, this is not what he had expected. SasuIno
1. Chapter 1

**R&R**

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**Roomies**

**Summary: AU. When his girlfriend told him she had new roommates, this is not what he had expected. SasuIno**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not ours! Otherwise we'd be making series like these.**

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**Chapter One**

From a young age, Ino Yamanaka learned that hard work paid off.

It was hard work that made her queen bee in high school. As cheerleader co-captain, student body vice president, track and volleyball star, three time homecoming and prom queen, and salutatorian of her graduating class, it was needless to say that she lived on coffee and energy drinks to survive each day.

It was also hard work that got her into one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, with practically a full scholarship to boot, and it was hard work that kept her grades up on her journey to become a brain surgeon with a minor in psychology.

It had also been hard work that scored her a date with the man of her dreams, the unattainable Sasuke Uchiha her senior year of high school. It was even harder work that managed to score her a second date, and then a third, and then a fourth… until finally she was able to claim Sasuke Uchiha as hers, to the chagrin of every other female within a 25 mile radius.

It was also hard work that made their long distance relationship work, three years later, while he attended the prestigious university that every Uchiha was expected to graduate from.

So when Ino Yamanaka woke up from her peaceful slumber to the sound of her alarm going off, she was ready to tackle what the day had in store for her.

As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she saw that she had a text message from none other than her significant other.

As she opened and read what it said, her eyes brightened considerably, and a huge grin spread across her face.

"Yippeeee!" with butterflies in her stomach, Ino jumped up from her bed and did a few excited twirls around her room, holding the phone to her chest, not caring if the noise she was creating would wake up any of her roommates.

Besides, it wouldn't hurt them to wake up earlier.

Once she calmed down, she looked at her phone once more, making sure that she had read his text message right.

'_I'll be visiting for a few days.'_

Ino grinned once more, happy to see that she had read it right the first time. But leave it to him to be so vague…

'_Good morning cupcake. When should I expect you, and for how long?'_

She knew better than to expect a reply from him right away, and instead set to do her usual morning routine. A morning jog, followed by a shower, and then breakfast for her and her roommates. Thankfully it was the weekend, which meant no classes and only her bartending job later that night, which left most of the day open to plan on how to make Sasuke's visit a memorable one.

A mischievous and excited grin spread across her face.

Boy, did she already have some ideas…

* * *

Ino hummed and skipped as she cooked breakfast; scrambled eggs, both bacon and sausage, and hash browns. Anyone that saw her cooking would think that she was going to feed a small army, which in her mind, she was.

"Good morning."

Ino smiled as she turned to look at the redhead that greeted her.

"Good morning Gaara-kun, you're up later than usual."

It was true, usually Gaara was the only one that was awake before her, and she found it unusual that he wasn't already sitting at the breakfast table with his usual black cup of coffee in his hands when she came back from her morning jog.

"Long night," he murmured as he walked over to the cabinet next to the stove where Ino was cooking.

Dressed in a simple brown t-shirt and black sport pants, he took out his usual red coffee mug, and poured himself some of the freshly brewed coffee, courtesy of Ino.

"Another project?" the blonde asked as she began to pour the eggs into a container.

"Hn."

Ino frowned at his response, but on looking at him closer, noticed that he was clutching his head and looking none too happy.

"Ahh… hangover huh. Who forced you into drinking this time?" she asked with a grin on her face.

This time, Gaara sighed.

"Who do you think?"

Ino laughed, knowing exactly who had done it. As she turned off the stove, she placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, I know just the way to get back at him, but you might want to cover your ears if you don't want your headache to get worse."

Gaara eyed her curiously as he watched her bend down to retrieve a small metal pan, wishing she would stop wearing those ridiculously short shorts(he was a man after all dammit), only to go into one of the drawers and retrieve a metal spoon. It didn't take him long to realize what she wanted to do, and sighed at the events that were about to unfold…

Ino winked and grinned at him before walking through the hall that took her to the bedrooms of the house, and tried to slip quietly into her destination. As she slipped into the dark room, she made sure that her target was still fast asleep. Hearing the light snoring, she approached the bed quietly, until she was a safe distance from the bed.

Trying not to giggle, Ino held up the pan in front of her, and smirked as she drew back the spoon…

_BANG BANG BANG BANG!_

The desired result was better than expected when the figure in bed immediately shot up from the bed and rolled right off…

THUD

…into the hardwood floor.

"WHAT THE HELL—!"

Ino couldn't hold in her laughter and doubled over, clutching her stomach as she looked as the blonde man lay sprawled on the floor, his eyes looking ready to kill.

"Oh my god—_haha_! That was—_haha_—so much better than—_haha_—I thought it would be!"

"WHAT THE FUCK INO!" Deidara practically growled as he got up from the floor, glowering at Ino as she continued to laugh in front of him, tears in her eyes.

"You should—_haha_—see the look on your face right now—_haha_!"

"Stop laughing, un!" Deidara yanked the pan and spoon out of her hands, only for Ino to fall to the floor, arms still clutching her stomach as she continued her hysterical laughter.

"Do you guys realize what time it is?"

Deidara and Ino looked to the doorway to see a none too happy Shikamaru as he rubbed his neck and glared at them.

"Tell that to this… this… BANSHEE, un!"

At this, Ino's laughter immediately stopped, and the two men could almost feel the temperature of the room drop ten degrees.

"What… did you just call me, Deidara-_kun_?" Ino asked, her eyes suddenly darkening as she looked at the other blonde.

Deidara's face paled as he looked at the blonde, his anger suddenly forgotten as dread set in.

"I… I said good morning… most wonderful and intelligent supreme overlord of the universe, un!" Deidara sighed as Ino smiled sweetly at him, and the room warmed right back up.

"That's what I thought I heard…." Ino said as she got up and dusted herself off.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry for the rude awakening Shika, but breakfast is served!" Ino exited the room, followed by the two men as they made their way to the dining room of their humble abode.

Ino smiled when she saw that Gaara had already set the table and laid out the food on the table for everyone to grab.

"Thanks Gaara-kun!" she said and rubbed his red hair affectionately as she passed his chair and sat down at her usual spot in the table.

Gaara said nothing as he continued to sip his coffee, while Deidara reached above the fridge for a white bottle. As soon as Gaara set down his cup of coffee, Deidara dove in and poured some of the liquid into his drink.

"You know what the best cure for a hangover is, more alcohol, un!" Deidara smirked as he dodged a well-aimed punch to his face.

"Fuck off!" Gaara growled and shot the blonde a murderous glare, his headache suddenly ten times worse.

Deidara only laughed and poured himself a drink from a different alcoholic bottle, and mixed it with some orange juice, before sitting across from the angry redhead.

"Suit yourself, un," he said, although he knew that when Gaara started cursing it was time to back off. He didn't have a death wish after all.

Ino sighed as he looked at the two boys with a smile. Just a typical morning in their residence…

She moved to take Gaara's drink from in front of him and set it next to her own plate, before getting up and getting a new cup of coffee for him. She also pulled out some aspirin and set both things next to the seething boy.

"Well, I for one, actually like my coffee with a bit of alcohol. Make sure you eat before taking the aspiring," Gaara visibly calmed down as he shot Ino a grateful look.

In no time the boys had piled multiple servings of food onto their plate, and it wasn't until they were halfway done that Ino noticed something missing.

"Where's our fourth roomie?" she asked.

The boys shrugged and Ino didn't ask further as she felt the phone in her lap vibrate. With an eager smile, Ino saw that it was indeed her boyfriend.

'_Sigh. I told you not to call me cupcake anymore. Expect me next Friday until Monday night.'_

Ino suddenly remembered that next weekend was a three day weekend, and felt her stomach dance at the prospect of spending a whole four days with her boyfriend, give or take. It wasn't often the two saw each other, besides holidays and breaks that is, when they went back home. So this was a treat indeed!

'_You gave up your rights on nicknames when you asked me to be your girlfriend. And a whole four days huh? To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?'_

Ino happily texted back before setting her phone back on her lap.

She saw that the boys had finally slowed down their eating, and wondered how on earth they managed to eat so much…

To her surprise and delight, it wasn't long before she received a response from Sasuke.

'_You are far too stubborn sometimes. And perhaps I happen to miss you, and want to spend some time with you.'_

Ino felt her heart flutter at his response. Sasuke was never very overly touchy-feely, so it was rare moments like these that made her feel as if she was on cloud nine.

'_That's part of why you love me. And I'm glad, because I happen to miss you too. A lot.'_

Ino smiled as she replied, her day suddenly a thousand times better.

Grabbing her fork and tapping it against her—Gaara's—mug, she was pleased when they all turned their attention to her.

"Although we are missing one of our members, I have an important announcement to make."

The three men looked expectantly at her, not sure what to expect from the eccentric blonde.

"My boyfriend will be visiting next weekend."

Two pairs of eyes widened, while Shikamaru just sighed.

"You're shitting me, un! I finally get to meet the guy?" Deidara smirked as he took a drink from his glass.

"I have to admit, I still find it hard to believe he is okay with letting you room with four guys," Gaara replied as he too sipped his coffee.

At this, Ino grimaced, a sudden realization hitting her.

"_Well_…."

The three men suddenly froze at her much too innocent tone.

"Ino… do not tell me he doesn't know…" Shikamaru said as he frowned at the girl who was nervously twirling her bangs around her pointer finger.

"Well… you see…" she dragged on.

"Ino…" Shikamaru pressed, his voice suddenly lower in pitch.

"He never asked who my new roommates were!" Ino threw up her hands in the air as she said this.

The three men face palmed.

"Even I know this is something you can't keep from your boyfriend you idiot, un!" Deidara replied.

Ino frowned as she began to play with the food on her plate.

"Well, you guys know I really wanted a place to stay, and you guys were the only ones I felt comfortable staying with! Plus he didn't ask!"

"He probably assumed your roommates would be girls," Gaara replied, and she felt even worse with his stare of disapproval.

"He's gonna kill us… isn't he…" Deidara said as he looked at Shikamaru, the only one of the boys to actually know who Ino's boyfriend was.

Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome…"

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**The Realist: Well, I suddenly got an idea for this! It's just a fun little fic for me, with my all-time favorite couple, just because! I've been itching to write something for them for a while, but there wasn't any plot bunnies around. Until today that is, when this popped into my head. I do love a jealous Sasuke, and I really wanted to play with some characters I hardly use!**

**That being said, I need help picking the fourth roommate. I really wanted Gaara, Deidara, and Shikamaru to be her roommates, but I need a fourth roommate, and I simply can't decide on who to pick! I thought about Sai, or Neji, but that was a decision that even tossing a coin couldn't solve! **

**So what do you guys think, who should be the fourth roommate? **

**And did you like this chapter? **

**Let me know! :)**

**Reviews are loved and helpful.**


	2. Chapter 2

**R&R**

* * *

**Roomies**

**Disclaimer:** _Naruto is not ours, until we're rich enough to buy the rights. Which will probably never happen..._

**The Realist:** _Wow! I sure wasn't expecting so much feedback for this story. Still thank you very much! I appreciated every single one. The fourth roommate was based on votes, and you'll find out who it was on this chapter. But fear not! You will see every character you mentioned at one point or another. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)_

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**Chapter Two**

Had someone told Sasuke Uchiha more than three years ago that he would be dating Ino Yamanaka, he would have laughed in their face.

Had they told him that he would be dating her for more than three years, he would have called them downright delusional and to stop wasting his time.

No offense to the blonde. After all, it was no secret to him that she was smart, athletic, popular, and every guy had fantasied about her at least once in their lives. He also happened to have a weakness for long hair and blue eyes.

However, more than three years ago he had no intention of asking _any_ girl to be his girlfriend. While there were plenty of smart and beautiful women around, it was their mentality that turned him off to the idea of being with any of them. It seemed to him that they thought that he would take notice of who yelled the loudest, or stared the longest, or downright stalked him the most.

He had no intention of being with any of those kind of girls.

He had thought that Ino was no different, given the way she liked to jump on his back whenever given the chance.

It wasn't until after they begun dating that he realized he never actually minded when she did.

After all, Ino… she was something else entirely.

Every time he thought back to that moment, he couldn't help but smirk and shake his head in disbelief.

To think, that he would so easily fall for her trap…

"_Hey Sasuke-kun… how's your brother?" she had asked._

_They were in one of the classrooms designated for the student council to meet in. As president and vice president for the student body, the two were the last ones left after their scheduled meetings, and it wasn't unusual that the two discussed matters as they finished up._

_At the question however, he eyed her warily, wondering why she was asking about his brother of all people. Still, he merely shrugged and put it off as a harmless question._

_How wrong he had been..._

"_He's fine, succeeding as usual," he replied, not trying to hide his disdain at the comment._

_He saw as Ino seemed to contemplate the response, and tapped her chin thoughtfully. _

"_So… since he's a prodigy and all… it must be tough living in his shadow huh?" She asked, and this time he scoffed, not bothering to reply._

"_Well I mean… he _did_ graduate college when he was only 15, and already he's making a name for himself. Doesn't that mean he's done everything before you, and that you'll probably never match him in anything?"_

_At this, Sasuke tensed and threw her a heated glare._

"_Your point, Yamanaka?" he hissed, his fist clenching at his side._

_Ino did not seemed intimidated by his glare, instead she shrugged nonchalantly. Then she grinned and approached the desk where he was still putting away the materials he had used during the meetings. His glare did not subside as she placed a hand on the desk and leaned forward towards him._

"_I'm just saying… he seems so awfully busy… he must have never had a girlfriend before. So _**hypothetically**_ speaking, if _**you**_ were to get a girlfriend, you would have done something before him for once."_

_Before he could reply however, Ino was already walking away._

"_But hey, who has time for girls right? Especially when you're trying to catch up to your brother. See you tomorrow Sasuke-kun!" with a wink in his direction, Ino turned and left the room._

To think… that not only had she _given_ him a reason to get a girlfriend, she had used the _one_ thing that could motivate him like nothing else could. Who had thought that Ino Yamanaka could be such a conniving and manipulative vixen?

If anything, she had _definitely_ earned his respect and admiration that day.

He resisted of course… and tried not to let her words mean anything to him. Nothing good came from having a girlfriend anyway, and maybe that's the reason his brother had never had one in the first place.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the thought out of his head. A way to do something his brother hadn't… as insignificant as it would be, having a girlfriend would still give him something to brag about to his brother and his stupid unending list of accomplishments.

So a couple of weeks later, he approached the only girl that he was willing to give it a shot with. And it was _just_ a shot. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he could even make it through _one_ date with anyone.

"_Well, that certainly took you long enough," she grinned and placed her hand on her hip._

_He must be insane to actually be doing this…_

"_I just have one condition," she asked, holding up her pointer finger to emphasize her point. _

_He frowned._

"_What?"_

"_If you so much as smile, than you take me on a second date. And if you smile on that one too, then you take me on a third date. And that continues, until you ask me to be your girlfriend," she smiled sweetly at him, her body language exuding the confidence of a girl that always got what she wanted. _

_He blinked at her, wondering why he suddenly felt as if he was walking into a spider's web._

_Still, he had already talked himself into doing this._

_And he did have a weakness for long hair and blue eyes…_

And three years later, here they were. Plane tickets purchased, and an eagerness in his stomach at the thought of seeing her soon.

Yep. Had anyone told him he'd be _excited_ to see Ino Yamanaka, he would have turned and walked the other way.

* * *

"You need to tell him, before he gets here," Ino frowned as she looked at Gaara and picked up the dishes and took them to the sink.

"I can't! What if he gets mad and decides not to come? At least if he's here, he can see that he has nothing to worry about…" Even to her, she knew that was a weak excuse, and a hope more than anything.

Out of the corner of the eye she noticed a slight movement, and in the blink of an eye she was next to Deidara, her hand on the collar of his shirt as he tried to dash away.

"Not so fast mister, it's your turn to do the dishes," she threw him a pointed look, and he glared irritatingly at the blonde girl.

"I think that the girl who is basically signing our death certificate should at least do the dishes…" he replied as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"H-hey!" he cried as Ino began to drag him to the sink by the collar.

"I don't think so. Dishes. Now."

Deidara glared at her once more before grumbling something under his breath and rolling up his sleeves and turning on the water.

"And besides… Sasuke isn't the jealous type…" she said as she turned back to the boys at the table.

"Ino… every guy is the jealous type. Whether he shows it or not is a different issue," Shikamaru said, his cheek resting against his knuckles as he regarded her lazily.

Ino glared at Shikamaru, suddenly having the urge to hit him or throw something at him. Why did he have to be so damn smart? It meant she couldn't just dismiss anything he said as wrong, because Shikamaru was _always_ right.

"Let me make my mistakes Shikamaru!" she pouted as she sat down, clearly defeated but not willing to admit where she had gone wrong, or doing what they suggested. She rather see Sasuke and suffer the consequences, than risk the chance of him cancelling his visit and moping around for the rest of the week. Besides, she had a better chance of making things up to him if he was here, rather than hundreds of miles away.

Ino grinned. The more she thought about it, the more her choice made sense. Things would be fine… she just knew they would be. After all, she and Sasuke had been through worse, this would be a piece of cake.

There was a rustling of keys at the door, and the sound of it opening let them know the only other person with a key to the house was home. The owner of the home, in fact.

"Welcome home Neji! You missed breakfast," Ino called out from the dining room.

The long haired man soon came around the corner and walked into the dining area, regarding its occupants with a neutral gaze. Sometimes he wondered how on earth he had managed to end up with such an odd mix of roommates.

"Good morning. Sorry I missed breakfast, I had some things to take care of," he greeted as he walked to one of the cabinets and pulled out a glass, then walking to the sink and filling it with the water as Deidara threw a glare at his interruption in the art of washing dishes.

"Did Lee challenge you to another inhuman feat?" Ino asked, knowing the only time that Neji would be out in ungodlike hours of the morning was when Lee came barging in demanding a challenge from the pale-eyed man. It was a wonder he hadn't woken the entire house….

"Something like that…" he replied.

"Oh! Neji you're going to love the wonderful news that Ino has, un," Deidara called out as he momentarily turned away from the dishes.

Neji turned to Ino, looking at her questionably, especially when she was suddenly fidgeting.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Uh… well… Sasuke's… coming to visit… next weekend," she answered, twirling her fingers in a fashion that reminded him of a certain cousin of his.

At her reply however, his eyes narrowed.

"_Fun_…" he replied, the sarcasm evident despite the tightness of his voice.

Ino grimaced at this, having forgotten that the two boys hated each other's guts… Family rivalries and all that… among other things she had also forgotten about.

"And the best part, that's really a BANG! She didn't tell him she's rooming with four guys, so we're probably going to die!" Deidara added, sending an accusatory glare in Ino's direction.

"You're not going to die! Nothing's going to happen!" Ino replied as she glared back at Deidara.

"Ino…" Neji began, and Ino turned nervously to him, not liking the tone of his voice.

"Y-yes, Neji?" she asked cautiously.

"I want absolutely no problems in this house during his stay," he replied, a clear warning in his eyes.

Ino gulped, knowing that if she didn't comply, she could very well end up having to search for a new place to stay. And quite frankly, she really liked this house, and her roommates.

"Oh Neji-kun, you need to lighten up… it's just a small visit."

Neji didn't look convinced, but before anyone could say anything, a loud BANG resounded through the house as the front door was slammed open.

"DEIDARA-SEMPAI!" at the unmistakably loud pitch, Deidara's face paled, and the dish in his hand crashed into the soapy water filled sink. His task was soon forgotten as he tried to make a break for it.

"There you are!" Deidara froze in mid-sprint as a dark-haired man rounded the corner and into the dining room.

"What the hell do you want Tobi, un!"

Tobi, as usual, wore the mask that was trademark of him, the mask that no one dared ask about and just accepted as part of the strange guy.

"Tobi is bored! And no one at the house wants to do something fun!"

Deidara glared at the man who acted like a boy and grated on his nerves.

"Dammit Tobi! I moved out to get away from you! Go bother Sasori or Zetsu!" Deidara yelled, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

"BUT DEIDARA-SEMPAI! I like you the best! Sasori has those creepy puppets, and Zetsu is always threatening to eeeat me!"

"I don't care! Go find some new friends or something!"

Everyone sweat dropped at the two, and Shikamaru and Gaara decided it was time to leave the room before things started flying. Neji wasn't far behind, wanting nothing more than to kick them out, but knowing it would be rude to do so. Damn his manners sometimes…

"Hey Tobi! Do you want some ice cream?" Ino asked from her seat, trying to get the attention from the strange guy away from the furious Deidara who looked ready to blow.

"Ino-chan you're the best! Hey Deidara-sempai, did you know you and Ino look like twins? I mean, you guys even have your hair styled the same. Do you think in another life, you two were related? OOOH! WHAT IF YOU WERE NINJA? How cool would that be? WHAT IF I WAS A NINJA TOO? Oh I bet I was this super evil bad guy, who tried bring peace in a diabolical way, because I had this tragic back story where I lost the love of my life because of my best friend, and this old guy took me in to fulfill his last dying wish!"

Lost in his thoughts, Tobi hadn't noticed as Deidara quietly slipped away, until he heard the door in the kitchen slam shut.

"Oooh, are we playing hide and seek tag? GOOD IDEA SEMPAI!"

Ino shook her head as she watched Tobi dash after the blonde, only to sigh when she noticed the dishes weren't done yet.

"GAARA!" She called out.

No way was she doing dishes today.

She had too much too think about.

She was further reminded when her phone vibrated on the table.

'_I do love you. That's why I'm visiting.'_

And it was texts like these that told her she had nothing to worry about.

* * *

**The Realist: **_So there you have it! Some insight on Sasuke and Ino's relationship(cause I like depth). Neji as the fourth roommate by popular demand, and some funny moments with Annoying Tobi(cause we all love Annoying Tobi). I might do another chapter of just the roommates, to kinda give you guys a feeling of their chemistry(now that Neji's in the picture), and then have Sasuke join the party. I'm trying to keep everyone in character, so let me know how you like this!_

_Now, I'm turning you over to my best friend, who will kindly reply to all your wonderful reviews, as I study my ass off for my Anatomy and Physiology test tomorrow. _

**The Dreamer: **_Dreamer here, reporting for duty! Bet you guys were wondering when i'd make an appearance! Oh...you had no idea who I was...you thought nothing behind the username. Well this is quite embarrassing..._

_Moving on to review replying time ^_^_

_First off thanks to all who replied! Super thanks to all who suggested a fourth roomie. The Realist really appreciates the feed back!_

_As you all know by now the winner of fourth roomie is Neji! Sad-face to those of us who wanted Lee or Itachi! Though I was promised they'd make appearances._

_**Guest**: Don't you worry, their will defiantly be fireworks;)_

_**Mau**: You guessed it! Gaara and Ino are definitely going to be super close! I'm excited myself about this Gaara's one of my favorites and I always felt he deserved some what of a sibling. Yay dreams do come true! _

_**Nerdcuteie21yo**: Oh man the Feels! Kiba and his pup surely are left out a bit much. Insert the truest of sadfaces here. _

_**Guest**: *Gasp* Another Kiba lover! I am now on a one woman mission to get him in this story ;)_

_**Deathrosekitty**: First off...your username=epic. Second we loves us some Ino to! And how could such a beauty run around a hose full of hunks without one lusting after her! _

_**Moonakes**: Sasuke all around is sexy For ya know a cartoon...excuse me while i go cry because my true love isn't real D,:_

_**Fairyshippuden16**: SASUINO FOR LIFE MY BUDDIE! _

_**Anna Maria Masen**: Its a wonderful thing The Realist speaks Spanish or i'd be so lost on what you said. But i am forever going to use "jajaja" instead of "hahaha". Thats just classic! _

_**jenny eun-chan**: We have plans for Kakashi:] _

_**VeeA**: The feels right dude? But hey all good things come to those who wait. Even though waiting is such pain!_

_**Gaara'sbutterfly**: Dont worry! Gaara is going to play a huge role in this story! Also thanks for throwing out an idea! Ideas are very much appreciated!_

_**Shesss**: We LOVE you! lol Thanks for the reply!_

_**Yo**: I think we're all a little jelly of Ino right now :( _

_Phew! Im done! SO lovely replying to you all! If you have any question, suggestions, or just something nice to say please let us know!_

_Dreamer out!_

**Reviews and feedback are loved :)**


	3. Valentine's Day Special Chapter

**R&R**

* * *

**Roomies**

**Disclaimer: The same as always, we own nothing but the idea.**

**The Realist: **_Well, I __definitely wasn't expecting to update today. I planned to have a very busy day. Unfortunately, I've been hit by an unexpected cold, and my Friday night plans are cancelled while I bundle up under warm covers, drink hot tea, watch anime, and write this chapter. Don't worry, I'm not complaining!_

* * *

**Valentine's Day Special Chapter**

_3 years prior..._

Ino sighed as she laid down in bed and stared miserably at the white ceiling of her room.

"Where did I go wrong?"

Ino frowned as she asked herself the same question for the millionth time this day.

"Why hasn't he asked me yet?"

Valentine's Day was tomorrow, and Sasuke hadn't asked her to be his valentine. Not like she expected him do downright ask, but she still thought he would at least make plans with her for the day, under the guise of just another "hangout". It had been almost a two months now since she had convinced Sasuke to go on dates with her, even if he still refused to call them that.

She wasn't exactly expecting him to ask her to be his girlfriend right away, and she knew that Sasuke was the kind of guy you had to win over in time. But she thought she finally had him! She could tell that he liked her, that he was warming up to her and the idea of them being together…

Ino blushed as she remembered when things changed…

**/Flashback/**

When Sasuke asked to hang out with her, for what would be their fifth date(yes, she was totally counting, take that every girl that thought they ever had a chance!), Ino decided to take advantage of her parents being away for the weekend, and invited him over to watch a movie.

'_Sure. What movie do you want to see?' _he had texted her that day_._

Ino smiled, and quickly replied.

'_Why don't you choose, surprise me. But make sure it's a mystery or action!'_

She looked over her living room, making sure it was spotless for when he arrived, and only fixed up a few things before she deemed it perfect.

'_What, no subjecting me to a chick flick like any girl on the planet would?'_

Ino rolled her eyes and smiled, having discovered that Sasuke indeed had a joking side.

'_Har har. No actually, I'd rather not torture you. Besides, chick flicks are more of a girls' night kinda thing. And thankfully, you're not a girl.'_

'_Fine with me. I'll be over by 6.'_

By six o'clock, Ino had showered, changed her outfit about a dozen times, settling on black caprice leggings that made her butt look good and a semi-loose long sleeved gray shirt for comfort, and chose to leave her hair down for the occasion. She hoped it was a pleasant surprise for the Uchiha. She did her makeup, light as usual, and stood in front of the mirror until she heard the doorbell ring.

She fixed her already perfect hair one last time, before dashing downstairs to get the door, her heart already racing at the thought of spending the evening with Sasuke. With a smile, she opened the door to see him, handsome as always in a white undershirt with a navy unbuttoned button up shirt over it, and dark navy blue jeans.

"Hi," she said as she looked up slightly to meet his calm gaze.

"Hi there," he replied, and somehow she felt silly for the way her heart skipped a beat at as he looked her over, his eyes lingering on her loose hair.

"Come in," she said, trying not to sound nervous as she opened the door wider and stepped aside.

He nodded and walked inside, where she noticed a DVD in one of his hands, before he took off his shoes and placed them aside. Feeling a burst of confidence at the thought that _the_ Sasuke Uchiha was over at her house, willingly, to see a movie, with her, Ino grabbed a hold of his hand, her confidence growing when he didn't take his hand back and allowed her to lead him.

She took through the hallways, and to the living room and its yellow walls and white couches. There was a brown coffee table in the middle, and a large flat screen TV on the wall. She was glad that her dad was a freak about entertainment systems, and they had a really good TV and sound system.

"You can put in the movie while I make some popcorn, shouldn't be too hard for you to handle, right?" she grinned as she looked at him.

"Can you handle making popcorn?" he replied with a raised eyebrow. Ino laughed and winked.

"I'll call if I need you," and with that, she turned, making sure to sway her hips just a bit more than usual in hopes that he was watching her walk away.

In a few minutes she was back in the living room with a bowl of popcorn and two waters, while Sasuke was sitting on the loveseat, movie already on the title page, ready to go. Ino smiled as she set the waters down.

"Looks like you beat me to it," she grinned, only to plop down on the couch next to him.

She grabbed the remote that was on the coffee table, and clicked play.

As she leaned back on the couch however, she grabbed Sasuke's arm, and put it on the other side of her as she cuddled up to his side. She grinned as she looked at his questioning gaze.

"Movie night means cuddling night," she grinned and giggled when he shook his head and sighed, but didn't push her away or move his arm.

The movie* itself was pretty good. It was called "Dawn", and about three ninja friends who were trying to protect the people that lay in between two warring nations, trying to avoid armed conflict by the use of negotiations instead. They were tired of the fighting and bloodshed, and in time they gained a large following of ninja that felt the same way. One day however, they were approached by a man that claimed that they could help the world much more if they helped him in his quest to create the perfect world where everyone could always be happy and have everything they wanted.

The friends denied him, and continued to try and end the conflict, going as far as becoming recognized by the leader of their village, who approved of their pacifist ideologies. In a twist of events however, a man from another village tricks the leader of the village into believing that the group, called "Dawn", was actually power-hungry, and only pretended to be peaceful in order to fool everyone.

In the end, the leader of the village kidnaps their female friend, and forced the other friend to kill the "leader" of their group. Without hesitation, their leader walks into the knife of his best friend, ending his life in order to save the girl.

Having lost his best friend, the other ninja guy, who apparently has a special power, goes berserk and attacks the leader of the village, and other ninja that showed up to kill them, and kills them all, except the leader of the village that escaped.

Having lost their best friend, the two remaining ninja friends find the man that first approached them, and agree to help him achieve this perfect world that will bring back their best friend, now realizing that their current world is rotten.

As the credits rolled, Ino continued to look at the screen.

"I… I don't believe it…"

She had sat up, Sasuke's arm dropping away from its place around her waist.

"What?"

"That was so stupid!"

Ino turned to Sasuke, who quirked her eyebrow at her. It looked like he was about to say something, but Ino was already talking again.

"I mean, how does that make sense? Here's an organization that's based on _negotiations_, and the village leader shows up with their friend and threatens to kill her if their leader doesn't die first, and they don't even _bother_ demanding an explanation, or trying to talk things out! I mean, where were the negotiations? The guy just walked straight into the knife, where's the justice in that?"

Sasuke eyed the furious Ino curiously.

"Well, he said earlier that he didn't see himself as the true leader, and that it was the other guy that was the real foundation of the group. He was ready from the beginning to give up the role to him, and in the heat of the moment, when they were threatened with the death of their comrade and romantic interest, it was a decision that he must have thought easy to make."

Ino sighed, knowing his point was logic, but having already thought that herself.

"I know that, but it just seems so forced! I mean, it seems that the entire purpose of those events were for the two surviving friends to realize what a terrible world they really live in, and join up with the other guy to create this "perfect" world, probably so there could be a sequel. The writer was just pure lazy! It's like he said 'eh, I don't feel like adding some extra talking since the ending will be the same'. That's just lazy! Don't get me wrong, the entire movie was really good, it's just that one part that bothers me. It could have been executed better."

Ino glared and crossed her arms, but she was surprised when she heard Sasuke chuckling. At the sound, Ino blushed.

"H-hey, why are you laughing?" she asked, a pout on her face and her face clearly embarrassed. Had she just made a fool out of herself with her ranting? It wasn't her fault she was so opinionated!

"Oh, nothing…" he said, a smirk on his face.

Ino blushed further, but frowned, and leaned forward, poking him in the cheek playfully.

"No way! You have to tell me now…"

Ino kept poking him in the cheek, until he caught her hand with his.

"Eep!" Ino squeaked when suddenly she was pulled forward, and blushed when she realized she was now sitting across his lap.

Her breath hitched when she realized she was face to face with the raven haired boy, his intense onyx eyes staring into her own, and her heart raced when she felt his hand tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, his hand straying to the nape of her neck.

"You're just… interesting," he said, his voice husky as she saw his eyes search her face, straying to her lips…

His words barely registered in her mind as she became lost in his eyes, the feel of his hand on her neck, and the heat that radiated off his body. Suddenly she forgot about the movie, and about the world.

_Is he… is he going to kiss me?_

She dared not even hope, but her heart was racing in her chest.

"And you look beautiful with your hair down…"

And suddenly he was leaning forward… and her eyelids were drooping… and his lips captured hers.

It was as if a fire started inside her body, a fire that spread from her lips to the rest of body. But once she realized that she was actually _kissing_ Sasuke Uchiha, she knew she had to make the best of it. So one of her hands gently pressed against his cheek, while the other rested against his chest, fisting in his shirt as she kissed him back.

It didn't take long for their kiss to heat up, and Ino found herself on her back on the couch as Sasuke leaned over her, his lips still on hers.

When his lips strayed to her neck however, Ino knew it was time to stop.

"W-wait…" she said, breathlessly as she gathered her willpower to push him away and sit up at the same time.

She was pleased to see his eyes glazed over, desire evident in his eyes.

She grinned and placed a finger against his lips.

"I won't be that easy."

**/End Flashback/**

Since that day, kissing had become a regular part of their "relationship", despite the fact that they weren't official. She wore her hair down more often, because she knew he liked it, and he tended to be more affectionate on those days.

"ARRGGGH! Why are you so stubborn Sasuke Uchiha!?" Ino yelled, her hands covering her face in frustration.

She knew that he wanted her… she just had to give him a little push… but how?

* * *

The next day, Sasuke walked to his locker, fully expecting Ino to be there as had become routine of them. He frowned when he saw that instead, a mob of girls where blocking his way, and as he looked at the cookies, brownies, balloons, and cards that they held, it hit him.

It was Valentine's Day. The most wretched day of the year.

At the sight of him, the girls squealed.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Please have one of my cookies!"

"Be my prom date!"

"Let me have you're babies!"

"I love you!"

"Just one hug!"

Already feeling a headache coming on, Sasuke turned on his heel and walked in the direction of Ino's locker. He was thankful to see that even though girls were still following, they didn't assault him or invade his personal space.

At the sight of Ino however, he felt better. Until that is, he saw that she was giggling, and holding a white teddy bear holding a red heart.

And leaning against her locker, was none other than Neji Hyuga.

He frowned as he watched the two talk, and the closer he got, the unhappier he became. An unfamiliar emotion making itself known in the pit of his stomach as his hands unconsciously clenched at his sides as he approached the pair.

"Tonight? What time?" he heard Ino ask.

"Around 7, after my practice is out," Neji replied.

"Yeah, that should work just fine."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the conversation. Why were they meeting up? Why did the thought bother him so much? And why did he suddenly have the urge to push Neji away and pull Ino to his side?

"Ino," Sasuke calmly replied as he stood only a foot away from the two.

He watched as Ino turned to face him, her red skirt twirling around her as she did so. She was definitely dressed for the holiday. Black tights and boots, and a white shirt tucked under the red high-waist skirt. Her hair was down and her bangs clipped back with heart shaped clips.

"Sasuke-kun! Good morning," she replied, and he suddenly didn't like the way she clutched the teddy bear so close to her chest.

Sasuke turned his gaze to Neji, his eyes narrowing.

"Hyuga," he acknowledged, voice tight.

"Uchiha," he acknowledged back, voice equally low and tight.

The two glared at each other for what felt like an eternity, until finally Neji scoffed and turned his gaze to Ino.

"I'll see you tonight then, Ino," he said, turning and walking away before she could even respond.

Sasuke wasted no time in getting the answers he wanted.

"Why are you meeting up with him later?" he asked. Although he sounded calm, Ino could see his body tensed, making her frown.

"Well, believe it or not, he asked me to be his valentine. And we're going out to dinner," Ino replied calmly.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed further, and he didn't understand why that made him mad.

"You can't," he replied, his voice commanding. At this, Ino raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me? Why the hell not? Last time I checked, I _don't_ have a boyfriend, and Neji is handsome and intelligent. So why shouldn't I go out with him? It's Valentine's Day, and I don't want to spend it alone!" Ino replied defiantly.

At her response, Sasuke was taken aback. Well if she wanted to do something on Valentines, why hadn't she just asked him to hang out? Why did she feel the need to accept Neji's invitation when they had been spending so much time together lately? Hadn't it been her idea that he get a girlfrie—

Oh.

That's right. He had never officially asked her to be his girlfriend. And women typically liked all that official crap didn't they? They wanted to be outright _asked_, rather than to simply assume…

At the realization, Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Women really were more trouble than they were worth…

Still… as he opened his eyes and looked at the glaring blue eyes of Ino Yamanaka, her subtle pouty lips and golden locks freefalling down her back… he thought that the trouble might just be worth it as long as she was only his.

And definitely NOT Neji Hyuga's.

So without a moment's hesitation, he turned around, glad to see that the mob of girl's were still trailing behind him, whispering amongst each other as they watched the interaction between the Yamanaka and Uchiha. Looking over at the girls, he moved towards them, ignoring their excited squeals, only to take the flowers from one girl, the chocolate box from another, and a balloon from another. The girls fainted, thinking that he had actually accepted their gifts for once.

Thankfully for them, they didn't see as he turned back around, and marched right back up to the blonde girl. The rest of the girls watched as he snatched the white bear from the girl's arms, only to give her the items he had just taken from the girls.

Ino's eyes widened at the items now in her arms, and at the intense look in Sasuke's eyes.

"Ino Yamanaka, you are far too difficult for my liking, but from now on, you're mine, and _only_ mine," he said.

The next thing she knew, he had grabbed her around the waist, and crushed his lips to hers.

"GASP!"

"AHHH!"

"NOO!"

The sound of a mob of disappointed and unbelieving girls resounded throughout the hallways, only to be cut off as a majority of them fainted and hit the ground.

Once the pair separated, leaving a breathless and elated Ino behind, Sasuke gave her a stern look.

"Now that you have a boyfriend, you are _not_ seeing that Hyuga tonight."

Ino grinned, and pulled him back down for another kiss.

Her boyfriend huh?

* * *

As Ino came home from school, only to get ready for the date she and Sasuke would be going on later, she stopped by her mother's room and placed the white teddy bear that she had "borrowed" from her mother's dresser.

As she walked up to her room, she retrieved her phone from her bag and searched her contacts, clicking on the name she was looking for.

'_Hey Neji! Change of plans, I can't study tonight. Raincheck?'_

With an excited giggle, Ino skipped up the rest of the stairs that led to her room.

Today was definitely a day to be remembered.

* * *

_**The Realist:** Well there you have it! An unexpected update. Since it's a Valentine's Day special, I'm sorry that it was centered around SasuIno and you didn't see the roomies. Well, you did see Neji. And hopefully got an idea as to why Sasuke and Neji won't get along when he visits, and all the problems that might ensue..._

_Thanks again for your reviews, and everyone that's added this story to their alerts. I really appreciate it! Unfortunately, Dreamer is probably off on a date with her boyfriend, so I'll be the one to reply this time! Plus I want this updated before valentines day is over. _

_So here we go!_

**Mau**: I'm glad you like it! It's always appreciated when readers like what I do in a story. So here's an even bigger flashback, which I really liked, considering I really wasn't planning to do a valentines day special. And yes, autocorrect is stupid sometimes. Hope you stay tuned :)

**Guest**: I know! I love funny Tobi! We'll probably see more of him. And don't worry, I've always promised to include Kiba, he will definitely get some limelight. And Akamaru, cause he's adorable too :)

**VeeA**: I'm glad! I can't wait for your next review! ;)

**jenny eun-chan**: Deidara and Tobi are perfect! Which is why I'll probably play a lot with them. Hope you liked this chapter!

**EmoPrincess21**: I'm glad you like it! I absolutely adore Ino with almost any guy, but Sasuke, Neji, and Shika are definately in my top favs. Lately I've been wanting more Itachi Ino, so I might make one myself in the future. Hopefully you liked the SasuIno in this chapter!

**FairyShippuden16**: Well what do you know! You got your wish after all! I honestly didn't think I would be able to do this, but life and its microorganisms of doom happen, and this is the result! I'm sure you don't mind, if you're happy with this chapter that is. Which I hope you are! Thanks for the support!

**Gaara'sbutterfly**: Oh, Neji and Sasuke will have problems, as you can see. I doubt Sasuke will forget this day ;) and yes, Gaara will definately make some damage too. I simply adore him.

**AkatsukiYaoiFanGirl**: I'm glad you love it! And I hope you liked this chapter, plenty of SasuIno in this chapter I think. Stay tuned, for when Sasuke finally visits!

**deathrosekitty:** Neji is not a happy camper, which makes you wonder how he puts up with Gaara, Deidara, and Ino under one roof... I imagine he tolerates Shika just fine. There's plenty of Sasuke in this chapter, so I hope you liked that!

* * *

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

***Cookies to anyone that catches this reference. It shouldn't be too hard. At all. **

**Reviews and feedback are loved :)**


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